'Redemption' discussed by Rabbis and Black clergy

A day of learning about each others’ scriptural takes on ‘redemption’ brought rabbis and Black clergy closer together this week.

The most recent in CCJ’s series of Rabbis and Black Clergy Conversations was a text study on the subject of ‘Redemption’. Rabbi Natan Levy started the day’s proceedings by opening up a lively discussion on ideas of redemption, based on Isaiah chapter 58, and looking at the personal and corporate aspects of redemption, the difference between redemption and salvation, and drawing out points of agreement and controversy between Jewish and Christian visions of a future redemptive world. An interesting discussion point was the relationship between Yom Kippur - the Jewish Day of Atonement - and redemption and feeding the hungry, and whether religious ritual or social deed was of the higher value. After lunch, Dr Joe Aldred presented a paper on behalf of Revd Dr Rosalyn Murphy – the planned speaker who was sadly unable to be present - on Christological understandings of redemption, based on the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, in the New Testament, and focussing on the themes of adoption, ransom and substitution in redemption.

As well as interfaith discussion, there was lively intra-faith discussion: amongst the rabbis about the role of ritual and ethics in redemption, and among the Christian clergy about the relation between faith and grace.

In total 20 people were in attendance, and we are grateful to Churches Together in England for hosting the event in July 2014.